Why Bicyclists Tend To Ignore Motor Vehicle Laws

On Friday Slate.com posted an interesting and informative article about why bicyclists tend not to obey traffic laws meant for motor vehicles, especially when it comes to stop signs. Illinois law requires bicyclists to come to a complete and full stop at all traffic control devices and signs. As I have written before, however, that law is impractical. Bicyclists will not halt at stop signs and red lights. Instead, they will read traffic conditions and act accordingly. As a cyclist approaches a stop sign he or she will slow, look left, right and straight for vehicles then respond as circumstances dictate. That, my friends, is the way it is and the way it will be so long as the majority of our cities lack infrastructure that facilitates bicycle traffic in a serious way.